Right-hander Daniel Hudson completed his long road back to the major leagues Monday with his reinstatement from the disabled list to serve as a reliever over the final month of the season.

But what role he pitches in beyond this year might still be up for debate.

After needing two Tommy John surgeries over the past two years, Hudson says he's just happy to be back in the big leagues and will pitch in whatever role the team needs him. But he also said he hopes his stay in the bullpen isn't permanent.

"I hope at some point I might be able to get back to being a starter," he said.

The Diamondbacks have given no indication they're considering Hudson as a starting pitcher; General Manager Kevin Towers believes the best route back for pitchers who have had two Tommy John procedures is via the bullpen.

But Hudson, who has worked to make a mechanical adjustment he hopes will help keep his arm healthy, says there are risks involved in both starting and relieving.

"Either way, there's different stresses that every role puts on the arm," he said. "It's not like throwing 10 pitches one night and 25 the next night is any better on your arm than throwing 100 and getting five days off."

Hudson, though, doesn't know if jumping back into a full-time starting role would be the smartest thing. In a perfect world, he could start next season working out of the bullpen before ultimately transitioning back to being a starter.

"Maybe if there's a role where you can kind of play swing man for the first half of the season and then maybe make 10 starts down the road, that's a way to build up innings," he said. "If I start from the get-go, I would guess I'd have to get shut down. But I haven't thrown a big league inning for 2½ years; I can't imagine throwing 200 innings would be good for my arm."

Hudson did not appear in Monday's game, but the Diamondbacks are hoping to get him an inning of work at some point in the next couple of days.

It would be his first appearance in the big leagues since June 26, 2012, when he tore his elbow ligament during a start in Atlanta. He underwent Tommy John surgery and one year later was just days away from a return to the majors when he suffered the same injury, requiring a second surgery.

"The worst part about it was you get so close the first time and blow out again and all of a sudden it's another year plus," he said. "That's kind of hard to explain how frustrating that was. Hopefully, if I get in one of these games, it'll be all worth it. I'll be able to just put it behind me and not worry about it again."

Hudson has made an adjustment to his arm path that he believes will lead to less stress on his elbow. He said it was something he implemented last year before ultimately reverting to his old mechanics, which he thinks contributed to needing the surgery a second time.

"I used to have a lot of lag in my arm and that would help with my deception and stuff, but it really wasn't good for my elbow — obviously, two surgeries later," he said. "It's still a work in progress."

Notable: Miley hasn't thrown as many strikes lately as he normally does, but his results haven't suffered as a result. In his past four starts, he has a 2.45 ERA while walking 13 batters in 252/3 innings, including 10 in his previous two starts. The last time Miley faced the Padres was on May 27, when he struck out 11 in seven innings. … Despaigne gave up one run in seven innings, striking out a career-high nine, against the Brewers on Wednesday at Petco Park. He has a 2.25 ERA at home and a 4.45 ERA on the road. He's faced the Diamondbacks twice already, beating them the first time but giving up four runs (three earned) in five innings in a loss on Aug.22.

Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock makes a leaping catch at the wall, robbing the San Diego Padres' Rene Rivera of a hit, during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP

San Diego Padres outfielder Will Venable, left, slides into home ahead of the tag by the Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Oliver Perez during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Brad Ziegler after the last out in a baseball game against the San Diego Padres on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, in San Diego. The D-backs won 5-1. Gregory Bull/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta, center, points to teammate Miguel Montero on first base after Montero hit an RBI-single, driving home Mark Trumbo (15) while playing the San Diego Padres during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Daniel Hudson is greeted by teammates in the dugout after pitching against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Hudson returned from two reconstructive elbow operations to pitch in the big leagues for the first time in more than two years. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres shortstop Alexi Amarista, top, gets tangled up with Arizona Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero as he turns a double play, throwing out Alfredo Marte at first during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Didi Gregorius celebrates with left fielder David Peralta, second from right, as left fielder Alfredo Marte, right, and shortstop Chris Owings, left, look on after the Diamondbacks defeated the San Diego Padres 6-1 in a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte, right, misses the throw back to third as Arizona Diamondbacks' Didi Gregorius, left, is caught off base during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregorius scored and Solarte picked up an error on the play. Gregory Bull AP

A man dressed as Santa Claus warms up before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch as the San Diego Padres prepared to play the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres' Rene Rivera, applies the tag too late as Arizona Diamondbacks' Alfredo Marte, behind, scores on a grounder by Josh Collmenter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres' Rene Rivera, right, complains to umpire Corey Blaser after Arizona Diamondbacks' Roger Kieschnick scored during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. The play was reviewed, and remained as called on the field. Gregory Bull AP

Arizona Diamondbacks' Chris Owings is greeted by a teammate after scoring on a triple by David Peralta against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres' Alexi Amarista reacts after scoring on a double by Seth Smith against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

San Diego Padres first baseman Yasmani Grandal, right, reach the base for the out ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks' Ender Inciarte during the third inning on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP

San Diego Padres catcher Rene Rivera, right, drops a foul ball hit by the Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta in front of the Diamondbacks dugout during the fourth inning on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014, in San Diego. Gregory Bull AP

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Trevor Cahill and catcher Miguel Montero have a meeting during a bases loaded jam against the San Diego Padres in the fourth inning Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, in San Diego. AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi

San Diego Padres' Alexi Amarista claps his hands as first base coach Jose Valentin congratulates him after his run producing single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, in San Diego. AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi

Will Venable of the San Diego Padres steals second base ahead of the throw to Aaron Hill of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Petco Park on Sept. 1, 2014 in San Diego, California. Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Cory Spangenberg of the San Diego Padres hits an RBI single during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park Sept. 1, 2014 in San Diego, California. The single was Spangenberg's first Major League hit. Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Trevor Cahill of the Arizona Diamondbacks holds onto the ball before being taken out of the game during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park Sept. 1, 2014 in San Diego, California. Denis Poroy/Getty Images

Aaron Hill of the Arizona Diamondbacks can't make a sliding catch on a single hit by Yasmani Grandal of the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park Sept. 1, 2014 in San Diego, California. Denis Poroy/Getty Images

San Diego Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko misses on the diving attempt for a single by Arizona Diamondbacks' Ender Inciarte in the first inning on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014, in San Diego. AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi